It all starts with QB Soltes for Warriors

EAST STROUDSBURG — It took Matt Soltes three games to win the starting job at quarterback last year.

Mike Kuhns

EAST STROUDSBURG — It took Matt Soltes three games to win the starting job at quarterback last year.

Now, East Stroudsburg University football coach Denny Douds can't wait to see what the redshirt sophomore will do this fall.

"When you are a redshirt freshman and take over, expectations are really at zero," said Douds, who is entering his 40th season as ESU's head coach. "The board is clear and you draw your own picture."

The team will have its spring scrimmage on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. in Eiler Martin Stadium.

Soltes, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 210 pounds, threw for 2,622 yards and 21 touchdowns versus nine interceptions in 2012. The sophomore from Vernon, N.J., completed nearly 61 percent of his passes (171-of-281), and he also ran for 536 yards.

It's Soltes' feet that equally frustrated opposing defenses.

"You do all the things right as a defense and there he goes," Douds said. "That starts to chew at the defense."

By the middle of October, Soltes' comfort with the offense was beginning to show. In a 45-37 victory over LIU-Post, the freshman gave ESU a glimpse of how good he could be.

He amassed 666 total yards — 535 passing and 131 rushing — and the Warriors finished with a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference record 828 yards of offense. The 666 yards of offense by Soltes was the highest total in Division II last year.

He finished the year by being named the PSAC East Freshman of the Year.

Soltes has some familiar weapons to use at receiver next fall. Seniors Dusty Reed and Robert Bleiler will lead that group.

Reed caught 50 passes for 787 yards and five touchdowns in 2012, while Bleiler caught 37 passes for 608 yards and four touchdowns.

"You're dealing with experienced players, proven commodities in the PSAC," Douds said. "They can make the big play."

Bleiler is the speedster of the group, running a 4.48 40-yard dash. His vertical leap is 38 inches.

Other receivers to watch include Tim Wilson and Brandon Mercer, both decorated track runners. Wilson, who ran a season-best 11.13 in the 100 meters on the track last year, caught the game-winning touchdown against West Chester.

Mercer ran a 10.83 a year ago in the 100 meters, and averaged 31.9 yards on 14 kick returns last season. He returned one kick 94 yards for a touchdown against Cheyney.

Defensively, the Warriors return one of the PSAC East's top linemen in Bryan Thomson, 6-1, 275. Thomson was the PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year after making 50 tackles, nine TFL and five sacks. He also recovered two fumbles and blocked a school-record six kicks.

Offensively, ESU will lean on senior center Greg Blue, who has 28 starts in his career. At left guard, junior Pete Wolmart started all 10 games last year, while at left tackle sophomore Cody Laubach returns. Laubach started 10 games as a true freshman in 2012 and was the first true freshman to start every game on the offensive line since Jeff Koscis did in 2004.

There will be holes to fill in 2013 — most notably at running back, linebacker and secondary, Douds said.

He called the 2012 team "a glorified JV program." ESU had 67 athletes who were redshirt sophomores or younger.

"We took some lumps," Douds said. "The Shippensburg game was an example."

ESU lost 63-21.

There were plenty of positives in a 5-5 season, though, and maybe none bigger than a 35-28 victory over West Chester. Wilson's last-second TD catch was the difference.

Running back may be an ongoing battle until someone takes the job. East Stroudsburg South graduate Collin Hegarty, a redshirt sophomore, is in the mix with redshirt freshman Robert Healy from East Meadow, N.Y. In high school, Healy was a Thorpe Award winner, given annually to Nassau County's (N.Y.) top player. As a high school senior in 2011, Healy was second team all-state, running for 1,800 yards and 38 touchdowns.

Raul Quinones from Father Judge is also going to get a shot at some carries.

ESU opens its 2013 season at home against American International on Thursday, Sept. 5. Kickoff is 6:05 p.m.